Power hitch for pump cables



Dec. 18. 11923.

- 1,477,817 C. B. FOSTER I POWER HITCH FOR PUMP cAbLEs Filed Dec. 9. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 18, 1923. 11,477,81l7

. c. B. FOSTER POWER HITCH FOR PUMP CABLES Filed Dec. 9. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 18, 1923.

HNETEE STATES CLARENCE B. FOSTER, OF GLENDALE, CALEFOR-NIA, ASSIGNOR TO UNION TOOL COIvI- PANY, OF TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

POWER HITCH FOR PUIVIP CABLES.

Application filed December e, 1922. Serial no. 605,842.

T 0 all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, CLARENCE B. Fos'rnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glendale, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented a new and useful Power Hitch for Pump Cables, of which the following is aspecification. v

This invention relates to a power hitch for pump cables, and is particularly directed to an improved form of device of the general type disclosed in Patent #1,433,090 to Daniel L. Newton.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, strong and durable connection for connecting or disconnecting a well with the pumping power unit during a corn tinued operation of said power unit and without affecting the operation of other wells which may be connected with the same power unit.

Afurther object is to provide a device of the above character, which has no overhead structure or parts which may become broken and by dropping cause injury to the operator; also to produce a connection of this kind which automatically assists in efiecting its control. 7 r Various other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings which form a part of this disclosure, and which illustrate a preferred form of embodiment of the invention.

3 Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the power hitch of the present invention, the rod and cable being connected for a pumping operation. 1 2 Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view showing the power hitch disconnected.

Fig. 3 is a detail section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a similar detail section on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a connectional form of power unit. a

The device of the present invention has particular utility with puniping equipment where several wells are pumped by means of a central power unit operating a reciprocatmg power rod connected to the pull cable of each well. In such an arrangement it is,

frequently necessary to. disconnect one or more wells from such central power unit. while the others are kept pumping.

In the drawings, 1 designates a power unit of more or less conventional form, having eccentric means 2 which reciprocate the power rods 3, A power line provided with my improved hitch, has an elongated eye 4 formed on the free end of the power rod 3 which is adapted to be connected to or disconnected from a throw-off hook or connecting element The hook 5 is connected to an eye socket 6 on the free end of the pull cable 7 which leads to the well pumping jack or other pump operating mechanism of any standard or well known type. The connection of the pull cable to such pump operatin mechanism is now so well known as to require no specific illustration or description herein.

Further in so far as the present invention is concerned the term cable, as herein used, is intended to include either cables or rods or their equivalents, as it is obvious that the device herein has no relation with the particular material. constituting the pull line.

As shown in Fig. 1, the elongated eye 4 of the power rod 3 is positioned in a vertical plane. and when connected therewith the throwbff hook 5 assumes a horizontal position. I provide means at the connection whereby the connection automatically disconnects when the cable is stopped by the hook let. For this purpose the rear portion of the eye is provided with a cam member 10 which extends laterally through the rear end'o-f said eye and projects outwardly at an angle.

A stationary support 11 is preferably provided with a cap plate 12 having an eye member 13 to which is pivotally connected a release hook 14-, and is further provided with ameans for supporting the free end of the power rod 3 when disconnected from the pull cable, in this instance such means being illustrated as a hooked projection 15 in 'which the end 16 forms a stop limiting the lateral movement of the rod and in which the depression 17 serves to maintain the rod in shifted position until manually removed therefrom.

With the mechanism connected as shown in Fig. l the pull line is in condition for pumping the well and the power-rod 3 will preferably be held slightly off of the member 15, as shown in Fig. 3, so as to eliminate excessive wear of the rod 3 and member 15 and also to effect a saving of power.

WVhen it is desired to disconnect the pull cable without stopping the power rod 3, the operator willswing the hook 14L upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2 as the rod 3 starts a return stroke. Some time prior to the end of the return stroke the hooked end 18 of the throw-oil hook 5 will engage the hook 14c and be arrested thereby, and as the power rod 3 continues its stroke in such re-' turn direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1) it will disengage itself from the hooked end 19 of the throw-off hook 5 and the cam meml er l0 engaging against the end 19 will effect a lateral shifting of the free end of the power rod 3. This lateral shifting of the rod 3 is sufiicient to prevent an automatic re-engagement of the elongated eye 4 with the hook 5. As soon as the rod 3 is released from the hook 5, it will rest upon the supporting means, or projection 15, and the lateral shifting of said rod effected by the engagement of the cam member 10 with the hook 5 is sufficient to start the rod 3 sliding down into the depression 17 where it will be retained against accidental displacement during its continued reciprocation. (See Figs. 2 and 4-.)

To again connect the power rod 3 to the pull cable, the free end of the rod is manually shifted laterally during the pull stroke and in time to re-engage its elongated eye 4: over the end 19 of the hook 5 and upon continuation of the pull stroke the power-rod will again assume the load of the pull cable and draw the opposite end 18 of the hook 5 free from the release hook 14;, whereupon said hook l t will drop to its normal idle position.

This mechanism provides a cheap, simple and durable device for the purposes primarily stated and constitutes an apparatus which is easy and safe to operate, and in which all wear is reduced to a minimum.

Various modifications coming within the language ofthe following claims are included in the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the nature disclosed, a reciprocating power rod, a pull cable, a connecting element detachably connecting the rod and a cable, a stationary support, means carried by the support and movable to position to engage said connecting element and interrupt a return stroke of the cable to permit a disconnecting of the power rod, the rod and connecting element having means subsequently cooperating to cause a shifting of the rod out of re-engaging alignment with the connecting element, and means for supporting the free end or" the rod when disconnected.

2. In a device of the nature disclosed, a reciprocating power rod, a pull cable, a connecting element detachably connecting the rod and cable, means movable to interrupt the return stroke of the cable to permit a. disconnecting of the power rod, means functioning to laterally shift the free end of the rod to position reventing its automatic reengagement with the connecting element, and independent means for supporting the rod when disconnected and for maintaining it in shifted position.

In a device of the nature disclosed, a reciprocating power rod, a pull cable, a connecting element detachably connecting the rod and cable, means for interrupting a return stroke of the cable for permitting an automatic disconnecting of the rod, the rod and connecting element having means cooperating to shift the rod to position preventing its automatic re-engageme'n't with the connecting element, and means normally free from connection with the rod and func tioning to support the red when disconnecting and for maintainingit in shifted position. I I

e. In a device of the nature disclosed, a reciprocating power rod, a pull cable, a connecting element detachably connecting the rod and cable, means movable to position to interrupt the return stroke of the cable for permitting an automatic disconnecting of the rod from the connecting element and a lateral shifting of the rod in a substantially horizontal plane with a position preventing its automatic re-engagem'ent with the connecting element, and supporting means upon which the rod may rest when disconnected and by which it is maintained in shifted position.

In a device of the kind described, a reciprocating power rod, a pull cable, a connecting element for detaehably connecting the rod and cable, a stationary support, means carried by the support and movable into a position to engage said connecting element to interrupt a return stroke of the cable and permit a disconnection of the power rod, the rod and'connecting element having means subsequently cooperating to.

effect the disconnection of the power rod from the pull cable.

6. In a device'of the kind described, a reciprocating power rod, a pull cable,a connecting element. for detachably connecting the rod and cable, a stationary support, means carried by the support and movable into a position to engage said connecting element to interrupt a return stroke of the cable and permit a disconnection of the power rod, the rod and connecting element having means subsequently cooperating to effect the disconnection of the power :rod from the pull cable, and means for supporting the free end of the rod after thesame has been disconnected, said means having a depressed part into which the rod may descend.

7. In a device of the kind describetha reciprocating power rod, a pull cable, a connecting element for detachably connecting the rod and cable, a stationary support, means carried by the support and movable into a position to engage said connecting element to interrupt a return stroke of the cable and permit a disconnection of the power rod, the rod and connecting element having means subsequently cooperating to 10 eflect the disconnection of the power rod from the pull cable, and a hook disposed below the level of the rod When connected to the pull cable, operating to support the free end of the rod after the same has been disconnected, said hook having a depression into which the rod may descend.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 25th day of November, 1922.

CLARENCE B. FOSTER. 

